Marco Zanini Is Going to Launch His Own Label—Finally, Some Good News
Marco Zanini, the erudite and talented Italian designer, is launching his own label, Zanini, this coming Milan Fashion Week. He’s been missing in action for some time, ever since his all too short reign at Schiaparelli; before that, he had had a stellar run at Rochas, and before that, he modernized to terrific effect the sleek Manhattan-isms of Halston for a generation who’d never danced under a mirror ball. Understandably, Zanini doesn’t want to say too much about what his debut collection, for Fall 2019, is going to look like—spoilers! But having seen some of it, it’s not going to disappoint those who previously loved his brand of intelligent femininity that came with his killer attention to cut, construction, and embellishment. Those are all reasons enough to celebrate his return, yet there’s one more. There’s something very positive about welcoming Zanini back into the fashion fold on his own terms, just as it was great to see Stefano Pilati reappear with his Random Identities label. If Alber Elbaz and Peter Copping were to appear on the horizon again, too, then we’d be really happy.
What influenced your decision about naming the label, Marco?
I wanted it to be Zanini, simple and direct. When I got the labels with “Zanini” on them from a factory in France—they’re made of silk, they’re really beautiful—they just looked right. With only my surname . . . it’s humble, simple, more human. In the end, what I am doing is about the clothing, my passion for my job. It’s not about me, me, me!
What spurred you to launch your own label?
I woke up one morning last summer, and I felt the urge to do it. It was one of those stars-align, trust-your-instincts moments. I contacted a few fabric suppliers, and some of the factories I worked with in the past, and they were very receptive and enthusiastic. I’d always worked for other people, under other labels, so even if I’d always been thinking for years about doing it, at some point, you just want to go solo.
How does it feel to be re-entering the industry at this moment in time, when so much is going on?
The whole idea of doing my own collection after being in the industry for so long . . . I knew I wanted to go against the grain; exposing too much on social media, being too present. . . . I am not against any of that, but I do think it contributes to the sense of fatigue that so many people are feeling—the saturation we all feel from seeing so many images, collections after collections, the extreme abundance of product. I can sometimes hardly recognize the industry I grew up in. So, Zanini is really about me doing something of my own, working outside of the mainstream of the industry. That was my starting point, and I decided I wanted to re-enter the arena in a rather quiet way but with a certain confidence.
How are you going to show it?
I’m going to do one-on-one appointments at my apartment in Milan, and then a week later take it to Paris and do more appointments at the Ritz. . . .
Fancy!
. . . [laughs] I want to do it properly! I feel I need to be in the same league of people who know how to do all this in the proper way.
Given you’re coming back at a time when all the ways we’d label collections are being rethought, disregarding seasons, drops instead of the usual seasonal cycle . . . has that influenced you in any way?
It’s my first collection, and it’s for next fall, so it’s Fall/Winter 2019. It’s called that because we needed to give it some kind of label [laughs]. The labeling of when it’s for doesn’t really matter. In the end, the clothes are meant to endure.
Without revealing too much about what you’re going to do, tell me about the approach you’ve taken with the collection?
Well, let’s just say the focus is going to be on quality over quantity. It will be clothes with a very high sartorial standard; the fabrics are going to be very luxurious but not ostentatious, stylish but not too fashionable. I’m proposing pieces that are understated, not try hard, something soulful and thoughtful.
How does it feel to be working as a startup out of Milan? I guess we associate the city with so many powerhouse names, not necessarily those working in a smaller, independent way . . .
It makes complete sense to me to do it from here as I’m from here; it’s my home. And by presenting the collection under the radar at home, I can underscore how small and humble and understated I want it to be, for it all to feel real and personal. It wouldn’t be right if I threw a big dinner for it in New York, or a fancy party in Paris. This way people can come to my place and have a chance to see me at home, as myself, and hopefully understand that it’s about authenticity, that there is a human touch in this collection—the fabrics, the manufacturing, the embroideries that are done right here in Italy. I want to evoke this sense of love and passion and the best way to do that is from my own home.
Well, you’re keeping it close to home! Your sister, Miki, who has worked with you in the past, is collaborating with you again.
Since we’ve shared so much in the past, it made total sense to do something together. I had wanted the collection to have some knitwear, but I’m not so good at it technically, so she was the perfect person to work with. Miki now has her own knitwear label, and she has incredible knowledge about technique and the handmade detailing, with a collection of sweaters and yarns everywhere from Japan to Iceland.
Are you nervous as you go into launching Zanini?
Not at all. It feels as natural as breathing. I’ve never had to be in charge of so many aspects of the business before—I’ve had to become my own entrepreneur in a way, and I’m busier than ever before—but all this feels incredibly good. There are only two cooks in the kitchen, me and Miki, and you can like Zanini, or not, but everything is feeling very positive. When I look back on this moment 10 years later, I know I’m going to be proud.
